The consequences of office work - 20 occupational diseases you can contract.

When we talk about most risky professions, which endanger people’s lives and health, we often think of professions like roofers or soldiers. Nevertheless, full-time office work could be also very risky for your health, if you don’t follow some rules of proper posture or taking breaks. Work can be painful.

By Joel

Office work is not associated with dangerous occupations, but on the contrary, employment in the office is sometimes referred to as a „warm job.” And yet – many hours of sitting in front of a computer screen also has its health consequences.Many times on our blog we have discussed the subject of ergonomics and proper matching of office furniture to employees. We hope that this text will help us understand why proper office equipment is so important.

Spine and skeletal system – the most exposed in office work.

Inadequate desk, too low office chair, many hours without moving in a sitting position – all this leads to back pain and, consequently, to degenerative diseases. An equally common complaint is the carpal tunnel syndrome, which appears in people who write a lot on a computer. Office workers also complain about aching calves, leg muscle cramps, swollen feet – all this is the result of prolonged sitting. As many as 92% of employees experienced chronic neck pain. To prevent these ailments, you should regularly get up from the desk and drag yourself. It is also very important that the workplace meets the basic criteria of ergonomics.

„The health of workers is an essential prerequisite for household income, productivity and economic development. Therefore, restoring and maintaining working capacity is an important function of the health services.”

Eyes hurt from looking at the monitor.

Another ailments that can be obtained in office work is deterioration of vision, dry eye syndrome or so-called computer vision syndrome (visual fatigue, decreased focus, dry eye and headache, neck and back pain). Some of these ailments can even lead to a complete loss of vision. Chronic pain, congestion or eye fatigue should be consulted with an ophthalmologist. Sometimes well-chosen glasses are enough to fix the problem. Do not forget to check if your workplace is properly lit, if the monitor is at the right angle, etc,

Other ailments that can occur in the office.

Problems with the spine and eyes are most frequently reported by employees of ailments. However, you can find a lot more disease entities on the list:

obesity or overweight – resulting from a sedentary work,

nervous diseases, depression – expectation of results, excess of duties also harm our psyche, office workers are much more exposed to depression and neurosis than manual workers,

sick building syndrome – in many offices there is an unfavorable microclimate, and the air conditioning has not been cleaned for years, as will add to the eternally working office equipment, emitting radiation and printers it’s no wonder that quite a large percentage of employees suffer from various types of allergies, asthma, headaches, impaired concentration, so-called air-conditioning fever, lung diseases etc.

diseases of the circulatory system – stress and lack of exercise may lead to arterial embolism or deep leg vein thrombosis.

Of course, all these diseases can be counteracted. How? Here are a few ways:

take care of the right office furniture: a comfortable desk, an adjustable armchair,

familiarize yourself with the principles of ergonomics and use them in everyday work,

trying to maintain the optimal position of the body, properly positioning the monitor, etc.

every hour take a short break, stop a moment, drag yourself, make a slope, go to the office, and if you can – treat yourself to a simple gymnastics,

do not snack during work – use meals for meals, do not eat at the computer,

clean your work place once a week, wipe the desk, monitor, keyboard – germs also multiply on them,lead a hygienic lifestyle,

also after work – do sports at least three times a week, do not spend all your free time in front of the TV or computer,

take care of the muscles and rest for the eyes.

Bottom line:

Please remember that proper sitting with maintaining proper body posture will ensure longer work without pain.

Breathe Can Impact Your Whole Body

By Joel

The way you breathe can impact your whole body, helping to regulate important functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. It can also reinforce proper body mechanics that put less stress on your body as you move.

Breathing – everybody does it approximately 20,000 times a day. But are we doing it properly? Are we giving it the same attention as we do with our skin?

While most of us don’t really give breathing much thought, the way you inhale and exhale have a huge impact on your physical and mental well-being.

One of the most important elements that our body cannot live without is oxygen. A regular person can only endure 3-4 minutes without oxygen (or known medically as anoxia) before he/she will be considered brain-dead. If it exceeds to 5- 6 minutes, this person dies.

Posture is among the aspects that you should look into to optimize your breathing. Why? The way you assume any position can either compress or facilitate expansion of your chest. It is important that you maintain a correct posture to promote a continuous and adequate supply of oxygen to your body. A properly oxygenated body is one happy body.

While these benefits are widely known, the busy pace of life plus a sedentary work environment have conditioned many of us to take only quick, shallow breaths. Over time, this weakens the strength of our respiratory muscles. It also creates tension in the upper body that can alter our posture and undermine our health.

So, if you are starting to feel a little tired, here are 3 postures that promote breathing to give your cells an oxygen and energy boost.

„While most of us don’t really give breathing much thought, the way you inhale and exhale have a huge impact on your physical and mental well-being..”

15-minute Standing

Sounds easy, right? However, for any regular guy who has been used to the torpid daily living, standing straight equally on both legs even for 5 minutes is quite taxing already.

To prove this, try this position for the whole 15 minutes and notice your breathing. Now, shift your weight to one leg – you’ll notice your breathing has become less than when you’re standing straight. Why? Because you whole body is relaxed on the former, and your muscles don’t have to exert much effort.

The amount of oxygen in you body is relative to the number of your respirations. If you breathe less, your body’s taking in lesser oxygen too.

Sit Up Straight

Whether you’re using a comfortable office chair or a chair for back pain, if you still slouch when you sit then you’re still compromising not only the integrity of your spine but also your breathing.

When you straighten your back, you’re using more chest muscles to hold this upright position. Since this requires exertion, your brain will signal you to breathe for more oxygen. With enough room to expand, your lungs can properly do its function, allowing ample oxygen to revitalize your system.

The opposite happens when you slouch. Aside from using less muscles, your chest is compressed that limits lung expansion. With deficient oxygen in your body, you are more prone to fatigability and other mental changes such as headache or mood swings.

Sleep in Semi-Fowler’s Position

In medicine, the fowler’s position is the standard resting and sleeping position for patients. The head part of the bed is elevated than the rest of the body. This is an intervention used to promote oxygenation especially for patients experiencing respiratory distress.

If your bed, however, doesn’t have the same mechanics as that of a hospital bed, you can support your head with one or two regular pillows, and another one on your back. This will give you a semi inclined head support. You can also put another pillow under your knees to prevent you from sliding down.

Regulating your breathing helps in boosting your performance in any task.So, if you think you have to buy an office chair or other posture support equipment to maintain a position that promote ideal respiration, then do so. Remember, your body is designed to function at its best- you only have to preserve its natural integrity for you to lead a healthier lifestyle and well-being.

Bottom line:

There are many benefits to deep breathing. It helps to foster a sense of calm, reduce stress and anxiety levels, and lower blood pressure. In fact, deep breathing is the basis for all meditative and mindfulness practices.

Food For Healthy Eyes

Good nutrition is important to keep your eyes healthy and functioning their best throughout your lifetime.

By Joel

If you are looking to prevent eye conditions like cataracts macular degeneration, a good way to start is to consume the right food. You need specific nutrients for healthy eyes, but specially I speak about lutein and zeaxanthin. What are they and how do they keep your eyes healthy?

Lutein and zaexanthin are carotenoids, pigments that give plants red, orange, and yellow colors. Among their functions is protecting plants from high-energy light rays called blue light. These substances are also highly concentrated in the macula of the eye, giving it a yellowish color. In fact, the macula contains a third form of carotenoid, as stated in recent research. This pigment, called meso-zeaxanthin, is produced in the retina using ingested lutein and isn’t found in any food source.

„Lutein and zeaxanthin appear to have important antioxidant functions in the body. Along with other natural antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin E, these important pigments guard the body from damaging effects of free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can destroy cells and play a role in many diseases.”

The Benefits Of Lutein And Zeaxanthin

The primary benefit of lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin has to do with how they protect the eyes from blue light. They block blue light from reaching the retina which prevents light-induced oxidation that leads to macular degeneration (AMD). They also work with other antioxidants like vitamins C and E and beta-carotene to protect the body from free radicals that damage the cells and cause many diseases.

The benefits of these 3 carotenoids are well-documented in a number of studies published in reputable journals. The American Journal of Epidemiology, Ophthalmology and Archives of Ophthalmology released research associating high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin with low incidences of macular degeneration. Two studies in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science found roughly similar results in that increased levels of macular pigments meant lower risks of developing AMD.

Furthermore, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS and AREDS2) formulated a daily antioxidant containing vitamins C and E, zinc, and copper, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin. It was found that this combination reduced the risk of AMD progression by 10 to 25 percent. The said research didn’t clarify if lutein and zeaxanthin also reduced the risk of cataracts.

Foods Containing Lutein And Zeaxanthin

These two nutrients are abundant in green and yellow vegetables, especially leafy ones. Cooked spinach and cooked kale are considered top sources. They are also found in non-vegetarian sources, particularly egg yolks. However, it would be best to stick to vegetarian items if you have high cholesterol levels.

Bottom line:

Just like the rest of the body, the eyes need proper nutrition to stay healthy and free from diseases. Consuming food items rich in lutein and zeaxanthin is a good way to maintain excellent vision.

When we consider the spine, it seems like a long, barely bendable area of bone. That couldn't in any way, shape or form be more misguided. Actually, the spine is a collection of a few bones that fit with each other, joined at each intersection point by circles that make a cushion between the hard joints, and making an interlocking structure that makes flexibility possible.

The discs that cushion each spinal bone are basic. They are shields that keep the bones ready to move and enable them to end up adaptable.

Disc herniation is most regularly seen between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae, organized in the lower back.

Causes and Symptoms

When considering the spinal plates, picture a doughnut with a stick filling in the middle. The circles are harder outwardly, yet the middle is gentler and stick like-which is vital to engage the joints to slide over each other easily. Regardless, when that stick focus breaks, the stick like bit of the plate pushes into the harder bit of the circle into the spinal trench. This achievement the mass of the joint will influence the circle to press against nerve endings now and again, causing outrageous distress. The plate could be harmed to the point that the two vertebrae being cushioned may start to rub against each other, causing expanded agony.

Circle herniation might be a customary symptom of the body maturing and breaking down. It could in like manner happen in light of damage to the back and neck when all is said in done.

The most broadly perceived reactions of a herniated plate are:

Agony radiating from the impacted zone down to the arms and legs, bothered by advancement.

Muscle inadequacy when the nerves impacted get weaker, causing impedance in motor work

Deadness, shuddering and curtailing, arms or legs.

In outrageous cases, there is a dynamic misfortune in scope of movement and excruciating sensations in the muscles.

Medications will be chosen by examination, attested by x-beams and imaging tests.

Ordinary Treatment Options

Ordinarily, the most overwhelming issue of patients with herniated circles is torment. Along these lines, torment administration is high on the specialist's rundown of needs.

The torment from the nerves being squeezed by the herniated plate can be diminished with a physician endorsed medicine. NSAIDS, which can be gotten over the counter, are the fundamental hotspot for torment control, however more grounded torment requires a master's endorsed arrangement.

Exactly when muscle fits are a stress, muscle relaxants can be given to the patients. They can in like manner be given cortisone shots or distinctive steroids to decrease the exacerbation of the muscle and tissue.

Non-Surgical Therapy

On the other hand, a few patients who need to go the non-careful course to deal with their torment with medicines like needle treatment, yoga, chiropractic and back rub. While these methods are not clinically certified, they do give a measure of torment lightening.

Medical procedure

If all else fails, medical procedure might be required when distinctive solutions have fail to cause mitigation. It is moreover the recommended treatment for when the signs of the herniated plate are debilitating the patient's ability to work.

A few occurrences require the harmed plate to be evacuated and the two vertebrae intertwined. Different circumstances, a produced plate can be set to supplant the herniated one.

Any medical procedure alternative will be talked about with a specialist before continuing. There is moreover the matter of the after-medical procedure mind that will be required by the patient, incorporating exercise based recuperation with the objective that the patient can recover most or most of their extent of development.

Eyestrain is a common problem that attacks people who use computers. Eyestrain can lead to stress and reduced working well and getting a lot done. When your eyes are strained, you're also likely to feel tired out, as well as experience neck pain and headache. All of these can cause youfurther stress. By improving your working conditions, you can make something and reduce your stress level.

Lighting is important

Good enough lighting is important in your work area. If there is not enough light, you'll bestraining your eyes; too bright and you'll suffer from very bright shine. Having the right kind of lighting is also important. While you can always depend on natural light during the day, you will have to choose your fake light if you're working on your computer at night. Get fluorescent lights rather than regular, old-fashioned light bulbs. They're a lot better and kinder on your eyes and they consume less energy and last longer.

You'll be overworking your eye muscles if you must squint because of the angry stare. Make sure to eliminate all sources of very bright shine, whether it's light that directly shines into your eyes or a reflection off your screen. If your monitor did not come with an anti-glare coating, think about getting an anti-glare screen.

Next to very brightly shine, your other concern is the high contrast of colors around you. This includes what you see on your computer monitor and everything in your immediate (surrounding conditions) such as your walls and furniture. Your eyes find it hard to look at bothalmost-opposite/showing the differences between colors and boring colors. So if you can find an opportunity to repaint your walls, go for the light and pastel colors to create a calmer atmosphere.

Flickering computer monitors or light bulbs are annoying. To avoid getting stressed any further, immediately replace light bulbs that do not shine steadily. Buy a new monitor if your old one can no longer be repaired, although you may want to first change to fit new conditions the refresh rate to make steady the display output.

Be more careful with what you are reading at your computer. You'll be straining your eyes for no good reason if you have to continue reading documents in small sets of printed letters of the same style or fancy typefaces. And if you have to deal with scanned documents that are barely readable, it is a good idea to use an optical character recognition program so you can read the content better and without much effort.

Be aware of your distance from the computer monitor. You have to be at least an arm's length away from the screen. According to experts, the eyes are less tired if you look down below the line in the distance where the Earth and sky meet rather than above it.

Avoid switching of your focus.

More than that, you should avoid the continuous switching of your focus to and from objects that are near or far. Doing so can be very tiring to your eyes. If you are working on your computer and are constantly referring to a hard copy at the same time, it is best to prop up your source document on a holder placed beside your monitor. That way, the distance of your focus remains almost the same.

You will also strain your eyes if you keep your focus on the same object for an extended length of time. Make it a habit to take off your eyes from what you're working on and look at something else far away for about two minutes. Do this every twenty minutes or so. Or, you can close your eyes and cup your palms over them for a few seconds.

One last thing that you should be concerned with is the humidity level in your office or wherever you're working. Low humidity tends to dry the eyes and dry eyes lead to eyestrain. As a fix, make sure that your work space is well ventilated and check the flow of air currents where you're seated.

If you want to avoid stress, it is important to take good care of your eyes. Before you feel thestress, your eyes are the ones first affected so protect them whenever you work on yourcomputer.